Electric heater for pipe-thawing.



T. ABTMEYER. ELECTRIC HEATER FOR PIPE THAWING.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 9, 1910.

Patented Jan. 30, 1912.

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BY INVENT?? l ATTORNEY lov UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE.

THEODORE ABTMEYER, OF WILKINSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T0 WESTING-HOUSE ELECTRIC vAND MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION 0F PENN-sYLvANIA.

ELECTRIC HEATER FOR` PIPE-THAWING.

To all lwhom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, THEoDoRE ABTMEiEER, a citizen ofthe United States,and a resident of Wilkinsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State ofPennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in ElectricHeaters for Pipe-Thawing, of which the following is a specilication.

My invention relates to electric heating devices and it has for itsobject to provide a simple and durable device of this character thatshall be adapted for pipe thawing and similar operations which'require alocal application of considerable heat. j

It has been heretofore proposed to utilize electricity for thawingfrozen water pipes, but the electric current has usually been passeddirectly through the pipe from the secondar winding of-a speciallyconstructed trans ormer. f

According to my present invention, I provide a simple electric heaterhaving a segmental cylindrical body member which. is shaped to conform,in general, to the exposed surface of a water pipe, of ordinary size,and a handle which is secured to the body member and is similar tothe-handle of an electric sad iron.

Figure 1 of the'accompanying drawings is a side elevation andFig. 2 is asectional elevation of an electric heating device yconstructed inaccordance with my invention.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the resistance element developed into a singleplane.

f Referring to the drawings, the structure here j shown comprises a bodymember 1, a resistance element 2, terminal members 3 and 4. and a handle5. The resistance element may be of any suitable type, but I pre-I ferto emDlov the elementv shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, or one similarto it, which is composed of a strip or ribbon 6 of steel or otherresistance material having a plurality of slots 7 cut alternately fromopposite sides to provide a zig-zag path for the electric current. y

The resistance element is located between plates 8 and 9 which are bentinto the form of cylinder segments and are located the onewithin theother, as shown in Fi 2 of the drawings. The plates 8 and 9, w enassembled, are secured together by a welding process, or by othersuitable means so asto hold Specication of Letters Patent.

Application led June 9, 1910. Serial No. 556,107.

Patented Jan. 30,1912.

The handle 5 is preferably formed of wood or other heat-insulatingmaterial, and is supported on a bolt 13 which extends through it andthrough the holes in'strips or brackets 14 and l5 which are riveted tothe plate 9.

My invention is not restricted to the structure illustrated `and Idesire that its scope shall only be limited by the appended claims.

I claim4 as my invention:

1. A pipe thawing heater comprising two l approximately semi-cylindricalconcentric metal shells, an insulated resistance element disposedbetween said shells and having laterally projecting terminalsapproximately midway of the ends of the shells and a lhandle secured tothe outer shell.

2. A pipe thawing device comprising two approximately seml-cylindricalconcentric sheet metal shells, an interposed resistance element havinglaterally projectiny terminals, brackets secured to the outer s ell anda handle secured to the outer ends of the brackets substantiallyparallel to said shells.

3. A pipe thawing device comprising two approximately semi-cylindricalconcentric sheet metal shells havin their edges welded together and theouter shell having an open in and a projection adjacent thereto, an insuated resistance element disposed` between said vshells and havingterminals that project through the opening in the outer shell and aresecured to and insulated from the projection, brackets secured to theouter shell and a handle secured to said brackets substantially parallelto said shells.

In .testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 26th dayof May,

THEoDoEEY AETMEYER.

l Witnesses: J. R. BAGEOFEN,

B. AB. HINEs.

